Ink pad for rubber stamps



ljam. 28, 1936. 1 A. PHxLLIPs y INK PAD FOR RUBBER STAMPS Filed Aug. 28, 1934 ATTO RNEY Patented Jan. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 28, 1934, Serial No. 741,777 In Canada February 27, 1934 3 Claims.

This invention relates to inking pads for use in connection with rubber stamps, and has for its object to provide an improved pad from which rubber stampsv can take ink.

Another object of the invention is to make the body of the block, or the ink holding substance of the pad, of so-called balsa wood, which is cut across the grain and through the cells of which the ink will feed by capillary attraction from the bottom of the container up through the block of balsa wood to the top thereof as fast as the ink is needed, keeping the top of the block supplied with the right amount of ink to properly furnish ink to the rubber stamp.

These and other objects of the invention will be fully illustrated in the drawing, described in the specification and pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the inking pad as prepared for the market.

Figure 2 is a Vertical section on the line 2st-2a: of Figure 1.

In the drawing like reference numerals indicate like parts.

Balsa wood is a wood that grows in the American tropics and is much lighter than cork. The extreme lightness of the wood is due to its large pores and the thin walls of the fibers. I have discovered that when this wood is cut into blocks of the requisite thickness, or of the thickness corresponding to the felt pads heretofore used in inking pads, that the ink used in stamp pads will ilow through the pores of this wood by capillary attraction from the bottom of the block to the top thereof, and will keep the top of the block continually coated or impregnated with ink sumcient to properly furnish ink to rubber stamps as fast as it is needed.

It will also be understood that the ink used in connection with rubber stamps on stamp pads or otherwise contains glycerine or its hygroscopic equivalent, and I have found that when such inks are used on wood other than balsa wood they tend to swell or distort the wood from its original shape and do not ow freely through such wood by capillary attraction. I have also found that such inks do not affect balsa wood adversely in any way whatever, nor does the balsa wood affect the ink adversely in any way whatever.

For the purpose of my improved ink pad, I cut the balsa wood across the grain into blocks of the right length and width, and with a thickness of abou or a half inch. Such a block of wood is shown in the drawing and is indicated by the reference numeral I. I place this block in the base 2 of a metal box or container having a top 3 hinged thereto. In the bottom of the metal container I place a layer of felt 4, which can be saturated with ink. Instead of felt, I can use any material that is equally absorbent to ink.

On top of this layer of felt I place a layer of 5 paper 5, or other material having a close cellular formation, that is only slightly porous, which will act as a screen or shield to hold back the main supply of ink and feed it slowly or gradually by capillary attraction through the paper, from the 10 felt below, to the block of balsa wood. 'Ihis prevents the block of balsa wood from being overinked and prevents the rubber stamp from being over-inked, and greatly lengthens the life of the pad as a whole, and secures more uniform inking l5 of the rubber type of the stamp.

It will also be understood that the paper or the felt pad, or both of them, may be omitted and the block of balsa wood may be used alone. In such case the block of balsa wood will be first 20 saturated or suiciently impregnated with ink, which ink will last for a long time for the purpose of a stamp pad, it being understood that more ink can be added to the balsa wood pad from time to time. 25

In manufacturing these pads I cut the balsa wood into blocks of suitable length and breadth across the grain, the blocks being made in this way of suitable thickness with the top and bottom surfaces substantially parallel. 80

I make the metal boxes, and place the absorbent material in the bottom thereof suitably impregnated with ink. I then place on top of the absorbent material a sheet of slightly porous material, and on top of this I place the block of 35 balsa wood either in its natural condition or impregnated with ink. I have found that if the block of balsa wood is placed in position in its natural state, the ink will in a few days travel up through the block by capillary attraction and 40 impregnate it suiiiciently for use.

I claim:

1. A stamp pad consisting of a block of balsa wood cut across the grain thereof to a suitable thickness and impregnated with ink. 45

2. A stamp pad consisting of a block of balsa wood cut across the grain thereof to a suitable thickness, an absorbent fabric placed below the block,v said fabric being impregnated with ink.

3. A stamp pad consisting of a block of balsa wood cut across the grain thereof to a suitable thickness, an absorbent fabric placed below the block, said fabric being impregnated with` ink,

a sheet of slightly porous material placed between the block of balsa wood and the impreg- 55 nated fabric.

LELAND A. PHILLIPS. 

